Over the past two years, David Warner, Ed Cowan, Shane Watson, Phillip Hughes, Shaun Marsh, Usman Khawaja, Ricky Ponting, Simon Katich and Rob Quiney have between them scored four Test hundreds while batting in the top three. So has Pakistan's Azhar Ali. Hashim Amla and Kumar Sangakkara have seven each, Rahul Dravid six. Leaving aside Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, only New Zealand have produced fewer runs from the top three positions in that period than Australia have.

Three for not many has been a recurring theme for the Australians for some time now. On this occasion at the Gabba, they were 3 for 40. As has often been the case after such wobbles, the captain Michael Clarke came in and steadied proceedings, this time with the help of one of the openers, Cowan, but the lack of output from the men at the top of the order must be a worry to Clarke and the coach Mickey Arthur.

Sometimes, it hasn't mattered. At their best, Ponting, Clarke and Michael Hussey form as effective a counterattacking middle-order as any side could want. Australia have done well enough during a time of top-order transition to be playing for the No.1 Test ranking during this series against South Africa. But no team can expect sustained success if the top three batsmen continue to stumble.

It was encouraging, then, that Cowan reached stumps on the third day unbeaten on 49, albeit with a little bit of luck after he appeared to glove a catch behind off a Morne Morkel no-ball. But his opening partner Warner was undone by an edge to slip off a Dale Steyn delivery that he could easily have left alone. It is true that Warner is the type of batsman who goes after the ball, but this wasn't that type of shot - it was a tentative poke that spoke of an uncertainty of mind.

The shot aptly described where Warner's cricket has been in the past month - neither here nor there. A number of players from both Australia and South Africa have had less-than-ideal Test preparation due to their Champions League Twenty20 commitments, but Warner is an unusual case in that he spent most of the tournament sitting in the rooms fine-tuning his iPod playlist. He had only one innings for the Delhi Daredevils, barely felt ball on bat, and then came home for one Sheffield Shield match before the first Test.

The Steyn ball that got him at the Gabba was pretty good, not great, but it didn't need to be. Warner's contractual obligations might have meant Cricket Australia had no option but to let him stay at the Champions League, but that doesn't change the fact that he was ill-prepared for this series. Warner can't afford to rest on the laurels of last summer's outstandingly patient hundred against New Zealand in Hobart and his brutal 180 against India in Perth.

Quiney, on the other hand, couldn't have been described as tentative in his first Test innings. He was welcomed to Test cricket with a bouncer from Steyn that he confidently pulled for what was almost a boundary to deep square leg, and it was a similar shot that brought his demise. He will have a chance in the second innings to prove that he can be a valuable Test player, but on this occasion he added to the thin recent record of Australia's top three.

And then there was Ponting. Batting at No.4 these days, Ponting enjoyed a hugely productive summer against India a year ago and has been in majestic Sheffield Shield form, but like Warner played at a ball well wide of off stump that could have been left alone. Having seen some tricky domestic surfaces this season, perhaps Ponting was put at ease by the apparently true Gabba pitch, but whatever the case his edge to slip off Morkel left Australia three down with few on the board.

If Cowan manages to bring up his maiden Test hundred on Monday it will be a step in the right direction for Australia's top order. That they have used nine men in those positions in the past two years says a lot. Excluding nightwatchmen, South Africa have used five. And in Test cricket, few things are as valuable as a strong, stable top order.

Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. He tweets here

We need GRAFTERS like 'Alfie' Justin Langer or Simon Katich, not players like Phil Hughes otr David Warner, who do not have an Opener's technique.They have airy -fairy shots. Ed Cowan is the RIGHT MAN for the job. His opening partner should be Rob Quiney or Usman Khawaja. Whoever of the two is chosen,the other should be at Number 4,when Ponting retires. RPunter should be back at Number 3 - his BEST postion.Watson at 4,Clarke at 5,Mike Hussey at 6,Wade at 7.

RoJayao
on November 11, 2012, 23:28 GMT

@venkat_75r, what does Cosgrove bring to the table? He's averaging less than 40 this season, is not a true opener, is definitely overweight but not in the David Boon sense, more like Arjuna ("get me a runner, i just ate!")Ranatunga, is not a good fielder and has seriously questionable commitment. He's not even a young guy anymore. I've never been convinced by Warner, he's a lot like Hughes really. Succeeding once every ten innings or so as an opener is just not good enough. But im sick of hearing that Cosgrove is the answer, he's not. No, Australia's batting cupboard has never been so bare.

Mary_786
on November 11, 2012, 23:28 GMT

Agree with Edwards_A, Khawaja is the long term answer to the number 3 spot for Australia. The guy outscored Tasmania on the weekend on an absolute bowling deck where the match finished in less then 2 days. This to add to his man of the match performance against a star NSW attack. We need to get him in earlier rather then later.

popcorn
on November 11, 2012, 23:13 GMT

When will Cricket Australia learn? That IPL and T20 are not good preparation for Test Matches. We lost to India when we toured them because Mike Hussey and Doug Bollinger were BUSY playing in The Champions League and did not have enough Test Match preparation. The ONLY way to make cricketers understand is to announce that ONLY those Cricketers who have played 3 Sheffied Shield matches in that season will be considered for Test Cricket. David Warner is undependable. I would have Usman Khawaja to open the innings in the Third Test - knock off David Warner,bring in Shane Watson.

InsideHedge
on November 11, 2012, 21:31 GMT

@VENKAT_75R: Don't worry, eventually he'll get a go too. Just look at the number of players the Oz are going thru, it's like a conveyor belt at a factory.By the time, they show up for the Ashes in England (summer of 2013), they'll have an entirely different team.

Chris_P
on November 11, 2012, 21:30 GMT

@grug76. I hear what you are saying but everyone is different. Personally I have played cricket for a fair while (going to 2nd grade in Sydney), mostly opening, & always found going down the order difficult to adjust. Keith Stackpole's memoirs also stated the same, & even Allan Border wrote how he found it very difficult to make the change going up. Greg Chappell mentioned in his memoirs how uncomfortable he felt mentally going in #3 proving that everyone, indeed, is different. No doubt Clarke feels most comfortable @ 5, 4 at a push, but to ask him to do #3 would be a backward step (IMHO).

grug76
on November 11, 2012, 20:32 GMT

i was never anything more than a decent bush cricketer who batted at no 4 most of the time... if one of our top 3 was unavailable i would always move to no 3 and the new player would bat at 6 or 7... if two of our top 3 were out i would open the batting... with australia having such problems at the top of the top of the order, why on earth isn't clarke moving up to 3 and a new batsman batting at 5 or 6????? seem to remember guys like ponting, watson, mark waugh, david boon, greg blewett, allan border all starting their careers at 5 or 6 before moving up the order as opportunities arose

Chris_P
on November 11, 2012, 19:55 GMT

Warner's preparation was disappointing, but the fact is, he is very inexperienced in first class to be able to make the adjustments as quickly as others who have done the hard yards. On his day a devastating player who is worth his place, but the increasing emphasis on T20 on young emerging players will see all countries have these issues, if they already haven't yet. At the moment, the number of under 25 players easily adopting from T20 to serious fc is far below the number who are not. This is not a problem confined to the likes of Warner but cricket in general & my concern is a long term drop of test standard.

venkat_75r
on November 11, 2012, 18:26 GMT

Why nobody is speaking about Casgrove? He might be overweight but is a class batsman. They should bring in him for over hyped Warner

6pack
on November 11, 2012, 17:38 GMT

Warner is no test cricketer! What a joke..Aussies can't produce quality batsmen any more.

popcorn
on November 11, 2012, 23:29 GMT

We need GRAFTERS like 'Alfie' Justin Langer or Simon Katich, not players like Phil Hughes otr David Warner, who do not have an Opener's technique.They have airy -fairy shots. Ed Cowan is the RIGHT MAN for the job. His opening partner should be Rob Quiney or Usman Khawaja. Whoever of the two is chosen,the other should be at Number 4,when Ponting retires. RPunter should be back at Number 3 - his BEST postion.Watson at 4,Clarke at 5,Mike Hussey at 6,Wade at 7.

RoJayao
on November 11, 2012, 23:28 GMT

@venkat_75r, what does Cosgrove bring to the table? He's averaging less than 40 this season, is not a true opener, is definitely overweight but not in the David Boon sense, more like Arjuna ("get me a runner, i just ate!")Ranatunga, is not a good fielder and has seriously questionable commitment. He's not even a young guy anymore. I've never been convinced by Warner, he's a lot like Hughes really. Succeeding once every ten innings or so as an opener is just not good enough. But im sick of hearing that Cosgrove is the answer, he's not. No, Australia's batting cupboard has never been so bare.

Mary_786
on November 11, 2012, 23:28 GMT

Agree with Edwards_A, Khawaja is the long term answer to the number 3 spot for Australia. The guy outscored Tasmania on the weekend on an absolute bowling deck where the match finished in less then 2 days. This to add to his man of the match performance against a star NSW attack. We need to get him in earlier rather then later.

popcorn
on November 11, 2012, 23:13 GMT

When will Cricket Australia learn? That IPL and T20 are not good preparation for Test Matches. We lost to India when we toured them because Mike Hussey and Doug Bollinger were BUSY playing in The Champions League and did not have enough Test Match preparation. The ONLY way to make cricketers understand is to announce that ONLY those Cricketers who have played 3 Sheffied Shield matches in that season will be considered for Test Cricket. David Warner is undependable. I would have Usman Khawaja to open the innings in the Third Test - knock off David Warner,bring in Shane Watson.

InsideHedge
on November 11, 2012, 21:31 GMT

@VENKAT_75R: Don't worry, eventually he'll get a go too. Just look at the number of players the Oz are going thru, it's like a conveyor belt at a factory.By the time, they show up for the Ashes in England (summer of 2013), they'll have an entirely different team.

Chris_P
on November 11, 2012, 21:30 GMT

@grug76. I hear what you are saying but everyone is different. Personally I have played cricket for a fair while (going to 2nd grade in Sydney), mostly opening, & always found going down the order difficult to adjust. Keith Stackpole's memoirs also stated the same, & even Allan Border wrote how he found it very difficult to make the change going up. Greg Chappell mentioned in his memoirs how uncomfortable he felt mentally going in #3 proving that everyone, indeed, is different. No doubt Clarke feels most comfortable @ 5, 4 at a push, but to ask him to do #3 would be a backward step (IMHO).

grug76
on November 11, 2012, 20:32 GMT

i was never anything more than a decent bush cricketer who batted at no 4 most of the time... if one of our top 3 was unavailable i would always move to no 3 and the new player would bat at 6 or 7... if two of our top 3 were out i would open the batting... with australia having such problems at the top of the top of the order, why on earth isn't clarke moving up to 3 and a new batsman batting at 5 or 6????? seem to remember guys like ponting, watson, mark waugh, david boon, greg blewett, allan border all starting their careers at 5 or 6 before moving up the order as opportunities arose

Chris_P
on November 11, 2012, 19:55 GMT

Warner's preparation was disappointing, but the fact is, he is very inexperienced in first class to be able to make the adjustments as quickly as others who have done the hard yards. On his day a devastating player who is worth his place, but the increasing emphasis on T20 on young emerging players will see all countries have these issues, if they already haven't yet. At the moment, the number of under 25 players easily adopting from T20 to serious fc is far below the number who are not. This is not a problem confined to the likes of Warner but cricket in general & my concern is a long term drop of test standard.

venkat_75r
on November 11, 2012, 18:26 GMT

Why nobody is speaking about Casgrove? He might be overweight but is a class batsman. They should bring in him for over hyped Warner

6pack
on November 11, 2012, 17:38 GMT

Warner is no test cricketer! What a joke..Aussies can't produce quality batsmen any more.

stormy16
on November 11, 2012, 16:54 GMT

Ok lets see who fits the top 3 in Oz. Anyone heard of Shane Watson? Where is he? The time has come folks, Watto needs to stop bowling and steady up Aus top order and this needs to happen fast like now. The guy is 31 so he has a solid 5+ years and from what we see about the time the next Aus top batters come on the horizon. Aus need to get get over looking for Kallis in Watto and settle for a solid top order batter in Watto.

InsideHedge
on November 11, 2012, 16:35 GMT

Warner is slowly being found out, he was terrible last summer in England for the ODI series. Looks like a top drawer bully, bats like one too. As @Punter-Gilly-BlahBlah pointed out, a #6 spot is not a bad idea for him, he doesn't cut it as an opener in Tests - unless he's playing against very poor attacks, ie. NZ, India, Bangla.

InsideHedge
on November 11, 2012, 16:32 GMT

If this article is about batsmen tentatively poking about and contributing to their demise then the pattern will continue with Khawaja. I saw the Australia 'A' team in England last year, they looked like a right sorry bunch.

What Australia is missing is a truly top all-rounder. True, they never needed one during their dominating years but apart from Watson, today's team lacks players who can lend a helping hand with the ball. However, there's plenty of talent in the ODI/T20 team where players such as SSmith & MHenriques fit the bill perfectly.

InsideHedge
on November 11, 2012, 16:27 GMT

@Edwards_A: What Joe Burns? You're 'aving a laugh!

bumsonseats
on November 11, 2012, 14:32 GMT

randyoz its only last year he was the bees knees best opener in world cricket, how the so mighty called have fallen. hes a very good T20 player under certain conditions but hes no australian opener never ever.

Okakaboka
on November 11, 2012, 13:49 GMT

Yes, @Edwards_A...Khawaja, Doolan or Burns. Warner IS NOT a test batsman. Never was and never will be. By the time the selectors wake up to this he will have a test average of about 20. It is also clear Hilfenhaus has lost it....again...Starc MUST play. Lyon doesn't turn the ball enough to be a threat so we may as well have McKay ......who if fit...is really our best bowler...if we want to be honest with ourselves. I also think Maxwell is not far away from Lyon as a spinner. Yes, I know he is not up to test standard as a spinner...but at least we would have another batsman. What spinner in this country is up to test standard??? Maybe O'Keefe when he is 'on'....but he must learn to field. In every test match our batting looks brittle...yet we still keep Langer as a batting coach. He has failed for long enough!!!!

RandyOZ
on November 11, 2012, 13:09 GMT

Burns, Hughs and Khawaja are all pushing for a spot. Quiney shouldn't be there and Punter is on his last legs. Warner on serious notice.

BG4cricket
on November 11, 2012, 12:42 GMT

Nice to see Khawaja scoring runs but he is not the answer yet. He has been asked to show he can rotate the strike better which he still has not done and also score more 360 degree which he is starting to do. Like Hayden this period will do wonders for him in the long term. Quiney deserves a shot based on the past 18 months but he is similar to Warner in that both like to feel the ball on the willow and not sure if you can have them both as an opening pair. Although not a big Cowan fan I thought he looked good today and I think he started to look like a test player by adopting a more positive approach with this stroke play and running which was good to see and hood he keeps it going.

Dangertroy
on November 11, 2012, 12:18 GMT

I like David Warner, but I have to close my eyes when he is batting sometimes. He will wave his bat at balls he should just be leaving well alone. Yet he had that innings in Hobart when he played so responsibly, he carried his bat while the rest of the team fell down. We haven't had an opener last the whole innings in quite some time. I'm not sure if it is form with Warner, or whether he needs more first class experience. I don't mind giving him an extended run at the top of the order to see if he can find some consistency at this level, but its difficult to do so with our in-experienced top order. With Watson out, it could have been beneficial to try Clarke at three, who can stem the tide if we lose an opener. I'm glad Cowan has made a decent start, hopefully he goes on with it to silence some critics.

on November 11, 2012, 12:17 GMT

As I mentioned before, Warner and Watson are not opening batsmen for test cricket. If you want them to be productive they have to bat down the order. You may have the resources but if you dont utilize them properly, you must fail. Why is Ponting still on the team, cant you see that hundreds have eluded him! Dont tell me his is there because of the experience, if you cannot score runs there is no experience to involved.

R_U_4_REAL_NICK
on November 11, 2012, 12:11 GMT

So why drop Katich for nothing then huh? Even Aus. fans have been screaming that Warner is not test material, especially opening. Khawaja has to be brought in surely for the next game against SA. Some people think Watson shouldn't be opening either, but I'd have him there ahead of the likes of Warner, Hughes and Marsh any day. The injury to Watson for this series against SA is unfortunate, however, and messes with the aura of the team.

wix99
on November 11, 2012, 12:07 GMT

The best way to strengthen the top of the order would be for Michael Clarke to bat at No. 3.

punter-gilly-haydos-mcgrath-warne
on November 11, 2012, 11:39 GMT

I think Warners dismissal put pressure on Quiney and Ponting. What IMO the selectors need to do is Cowan and Quiney to open and drop Warner down to number 5 or 6 that will force Warner to bat more responsibly. The rest of the order will be bumped up. The other good part is when the bowlers will hopefully be tired by then an Warner will be able to humble them big time.

Paul_Rampley
on November 11, 2012, 11:37 GMT

Selectors need to get Khawaja in the team. He has 2 man of the match awards against NSW and Tasmania on tough pitches from the last 2 games, the last of which included 138 while Tasmania got 95 as a team. The bulls are top of the table in Shield and defending champions, yet we don't have a single player in the Aussie team. What happend to rewarding performance. Get Khawaja in and also have a good look at Burns who is a future batsman.

No featured comments at the moment.

Paul_Rampley
on November 11, 2012, 11:37 GMT

Selectors need to get Khawaja in the team. He has 2 man of the match awards against NSW and Tasmania on tough pitches from the last 2 games, the last of which included 138 while Tasmania got 95 as a team. The bulls are top of the table in Shield and defending champions, yet we don't have a single player in the Aussie team. What happend to rewarding performance. Get Khawaja in and also have a good look at Burns who is a future batsman.

punter-gilly-haydos-mcgrath-warne
on November 11, 2012, 11:39 GMT

I think Warners dismissal put pressure on Quiney and Ponting. What IMO the selectors need to do is Cowan and Quiney to open and drop Warner down to number 5 or 6 that will force Warner to bat more responsibly. The rest of the order will be bumped up. The other good part is when the bowlers will hopefully be tired by then an Warner will be able to humble them big time.

wix99
on November 11, 2012, 12:07 GMT

The best way to strengthen the top of the order would be for Michael Clarke to bat at No. 3.

R_U_4_REAL_NICK
on November 11, 2012, 12:11 GMT

So why drop Katich for nothing then huh? Even Aus. fans have been screaming that Warner is not test material, especially opening. Khawaja has to be brought in surely for the next game against SA. Some people think Watson shouldn't be opening either, but I'd have him there ahead of the likes of Warner, Hughes and Marsh any day. The injury to Watson for this series against SA is unfortunate, however, and messes with the aura of the team.

on November 11, 2012, 12:17 GMT

As I mentioned before, Warner and Watson are not opening batsmen for test cricket. If you want them to be productive they have to bat down the order. You may have the resources but if you dont utilize them properly, you must fail. Why is Ponting still on the team, cant you see that hundreds have eluded him! Dont tell me his is there because of the experience, if you cannot score runs there is no experience to involved.

Dangertroy
on November 11, 2012, 12:18 GMT

I like David Warner, but I have to close my eyes when he is batting sometimes. He will wave his bat at balls he should just be leaving well alone. Yet he had that innings in Hobart when he played so responsibly, he carried his bat while the rest of the team fell down. We haven't had an opener last the whole innings in quite some time. I'm not sure if it is form with Warner, or whether he needs more first class experience. I don't mind giving him an extended run at the top of the order to see if he can find some consistency at this level, but its difficult to do so with our in-experienced top order. With Watson out, it could have been beneficial to try Clarke at three, who can stem the tide if we lose an opener. I'm glad Cowan has made a decent start, hopefully he goes on with it to silence some critics.

BG4cricket
on November 11, 2012, 12:42 GMT

Nice to see Khawaja scoring runs but he is not the answer yet. He has been asked to show he can rotate the strike better which he still has not done and also score more 360 degree which he is starting to do. Like Hayden this period will do wonders for him in the long term. Quiney deserves a shot based on the past 18 months but he is similar to Warner in that both like to feel the ball on the willow and not sure if you can have them both as an opening pair. Although not a big Cowan fan I thought he looked good today and I think he started to look like a test player by adopting a more positive approach with this stroke play and running which was good to see and hood he keeps it going.

RandyOZ
on November 11, 2012, 13:09 GMT

Burns, Hughs and Khawaja are all pushing for a spot. Quiney shouldn't be there and Punter is on his last legs. Warner on serious notice.

Okakaboka
on November 11, 2012, 13:49 GMT

Yes, @Edwards_A...Khawaja, Doolan or Burns. Warner IS NOT a test batsman. Never was and never will be. By the time the selectors wake up to this he will have a test average of about 20. It is also clear Hilfenhaus has lost it....again...Starc MUST play. Lyon doesn't turn the ball enough to be a threat so we may as well have McKay ......who if fit...is really our best bowler...if we want to be honest with ourselves. I also think Maxwell is not far away from Lyon as a spinner. Yes, I know he is not up to test standard as a spinner...but at least we would have another batsman. What spinner in this country is up to test standard??? Maybe O'Keefe when he is 'on'....but he must learn to field. In every test match our batting looks brittle...yet we still keep Langer as a batting coach. He has failed for long enough!!!!

bumsonseats
on November 11, 2012, 14:32 GMT

randyoz its only last year he was the bees knees best opener in world cricket, how the so mighty called have fallen. hes a very good T20 player under certain conditions but hes no australian opener never ever.